Miss Darcy couldn’t be happier about the successful 2013 Summer Splash Blog Hop! With all the authors giving away goodies, I hope you won some of the swag. If not, the next one might be your lucky Hop.

THE WINNERS OF THE 2013 SUMMER SPLASH BLOG HOP:

KINDLE: DENISE ZAKY

$100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: BUZEA LULIAN

$50 AMAZON GIFT CARD: SHADOW KOHLER

SIGNED BOOKS: SADIE LYMAN

GIFTED EBOOKS: JANICE HOUGLAND AND SAVANNAH MILLER

On Miss Darcy’s contest the winners are:

Winner of the $10.00 Amazon gift card:

Barbara Stull

Daily prizes:

July 26th – Andrea Minier

July 27th – Jackie W

July 28th – Lynsey Peterson

July 29th – Mel

And two bonus prizes:

Cynthia Blain & Donna Durnell

Congratulations to all the winners! Miss Darcy hopes that if you didn’t win this time you’ll try again on the next hop.

Miss Darcy just wanted to remind you that July 29th is the last day of the Summer Splash Blog Hop. What a delightful way to begin the last week of July. You’ll meet 48 independent authors and have a chance to win a Kindle Fire and other grand prizes. Some of these authors may be old friends but it is also an opportunity to meet authors who are new to you.

Miss Darcy is aware you are anxious to learn about the 2013 Summer Splash Blog Hop and her own giveaway prizes.

To enter Miss Darcy’s contest to win a $10.00 Amazon gift card and to hear the rest of the detailsCLICK HERE!

And after you’ve entered to win at Miss Darcy’s page check out the rest of these amazing chances to win at the 2013 Summer Splash Blog Hop main page!

Miss Darcy celebrated the beginning of summer with the Daughters of Sweet’s Racing Club. Most of the ladies were overly excited by the thought of the 2013 Summer Splash Blog Hop running from July 26th through July 29th. Due to their distraction Miss Darcy managed to win at whist once more. She is considering putting out her shingle as a cardshark although she would never consider fuzzing the cards (cheating).

Now Miss Darcy is aware you are anxious to learn about the 2013 Summer Splash Blog Hop and you’ll find the information below the excerpt.

For those gossipmongers who are anxious to hear the latest titbits, Letitia Bellingham was at the summer card party and she reminded us all of the scandal associated with her ancestor Judith Hallowell. You may not remember the story but at the time the gossip mongers had a field day. And it all began so simply as you’ll see in this excerpt:

“You want me to spy on your grandson?” Lady Judith Hallowell’s well-bred voice was tinged with astonishment as she looked over the rim of the bone china teacup at Lady Letitia Bellingham.

Under Judith’s baleful glance, the older woman had the grace to look self-conscious but it was only a momentary lapse. Catching the twinkle of mischief in her goddaughter’s golden-hazel eyes, Letty snorted.

“I always warned your mother, my girl, that you had the tongue of an adder. No wonder you’re not married,” she snapped.

“I know you think I’m quite on the shelf. Twenty-five and still not married. But believe me, my sharp tongue has had little effect driving away suitors. It seems that any young woman with a sizeable portion is fair game in the marriage mart.”

“No need to be cynical, Judith. Your face and figure would assure you of a husband if you hadn’t a groat.” Letty fussed with her lacy cap, ignoring the saucy grin of the young woman. “Now back to my business. I am not asking you to spy on my grandson. That behavior would be prodigious, um, outré .”

“You wish me to question the man as to his principles and political ideals.” Judith leaned forward, her lovely face set in a somber expression. “It would seem to me that no matter how you tie it up in clean linen, the fact remains that I would be spying on the poor fellow.”

“Fustian! Let’s not deal in stupid crochets, Judith. I would never involve you in anything if I felt you would be behaving shabbily. I only wish to find out if Nathanael’s sympathies lie with England or with America.”

“But, Aunt Letty, your family has always been for England,” Judith said, surprised at the request.

“Quite so. But the lad was born in the Colonies and, despite the fact that he was educated here in England, it is possible that he no longer feels an allegiance to this country.”

“But when Nathanael was at Cambridge, you must have had a chance to assess his loyalties. He must have given some indication.”

“I hesitated to ask,” Letty admitted. “I know it was cowardly, but I was so afraid he would make a hasty decision that both of us would regret. All I could do was show him the kind of life he would lead if he were to return.”

“Yet he returned to America?” Judith asked with surprise.

“He was still young, my dear. His father was ailing and he was needed at home. It was no time to force a decision. Now that you’re going to visit your father in America you’ll have plenty of time to get to know Nathanael. And since you’re available you might even consider a betrothal to my grandson.”

“Good heavens, Aunt Letty! You’re not putting out a shingle as matchmaker?”

“The idea has a certain amount of merit, my dear,” Letty said. “After all, Nathanael has both background and breeding. He is well formed, polite and appears to enjoy life. Financially, the lad would make a good catch.”

“I’ve never even met the man and already you’re planning to call the banns,” Judith said, throwing up her hands in exasperation.

“Never mind, child. It was just an interesting thought that crossed my mind. You needn’t marry Nathanael unless you’ve a mind to.” Letty laughed at the appalled expression on Judith’s face.

PS: There is much to be learned in the coming months as Miss Darcy sifts through the rumors and gossip. Surely you don’t want to be left in the dark! If you’re on her Mailing list, Miss Darcy will send you infrequent emails to make you privy to any news items worthy of her attention, offers of free or discounted books and pre-publication announcements for members only. You can sign up here: Newsletter List

It is with great delight that Miss Darcy announces the winners of the Rafflecopter contest to Celebrate Women! The big winner of the iPad mini was Linda Hendrickson. She has been contacted and her prize has been sent.

The winner of the giveaway of the $25 Amazon gift card on my blog was Andrea Minier. The winners of the free books are being contacted this week. I hope you were a winner but if not I hope you had a good time meeting new authors and reading their stories to Celebrate Women.

It was such fun getting so many comments. I’m so glad the saga of Jem resonated with so many of you. Grandmothers definitely do rock! Writers love getting feedback from readers so thank you all who participated. Check out Her Books Facebook page since there is always news and opportunities for our readers.

Miss Darcy just got the cover of her new book The Rebellious Heiress which will be coming out at the end of the month. I believe this week would be a lovely time to show you the cover and introduce you to another member of Sweet’s Racing Club.

Miss Darcy Welcomes you to the Celebrate Women giveaway

Win an iPad Mini, 6 individual prizes or one of 60 bestsellers

Miss Darcy would like to share a story with you before you enter for prizes at the bottom of the page.

Grandmothers Rock!

My friend Tish is going through a traumatic period. Like all grandmothers, she is convinced that her grandchildren are extraordinarily bright. True to her hopes and expectations, her grandson Max Jr. had tested in the gifted range.

Tish had come across an article on how to recognize the signs of a gifted child. Over coffee, she sobbed into a slightly yellowed Thanksgiving napkin.

“Do you know what this means?”

Unsure whether she was criticizing my use of Thanksgivng napkins well into spring, I merely shook my head.

“I read that article and discovered I was a gifted child!”she wailed.

Courtesy of Lynn Kelley

Looking into the family room, I watched as Max set up an intricate railroad track formation. Beside him, my grandson was attempting to eat the electric train. Luckily I would not have to worryover Jem’s giftedness.

At four, he still assumed he could walk across a toy-strewn floor without looking down. He was gifted with the finest set of bruises I’ve seen since one of our neighbors fell into the Christmas tree while attempting to hang the star on top.

“Look at me, Karla.”

It was not a very prepossessing view. Eyes swollen, nose red and mouth quivering, Tish sniveled into the turkey napkin. Unfortunately some of the brown dye from the napkin had streaked her face, giving her the look of a distraught Indian on the warpath.

“I’m 65 years old and my most mentally challenging moments are trying to decide whether to wash the clothes in hot, cold or lukewarm water.”

Max, who is the same age as Jem, was using Magic Building Sections to make skyscrapers and houses around the train tracks. Jem had somehow jammed his foot inside his dump truck. After several minutes of trying to loosen it, he fell over into the toy box.

“Numbers just defeat me,” Tish continued. “I haven’t been able to balance my checkbook since Clinton was president. When I was treasurer of the bowling league, there was a motion to impeach me for embezzlement.”

“Perhaps math just isn’t your field?”

“It’s not just math. I can’t spell, and when I went to one of those speed reading demonstrations, they suggested a good remedial course.”

We can make things

Max was building an elaborate construction crane. Some of the parts even moved. I had gotten Jem the blocks last year when he was visiting and he contented himself with scattering the pieces around the floor and dropping them down the sink drain.

The only time he ever built anything was when he took a long stick and jammed it into one of the round bottoms and made a hammer, with which he proceeded to make dents in all of the table tops.

“I could have been gifted in any field,” Tish mourned, “but nobody ever suspected it and how it’s too late.”

Fondly I watched Jem, foot still enmeshed in the dump truck, clomp across the tile floor. His eyes had the glazed look of a visionary as he hobbled towards Max’s creation.

It occurred to me that Jem might be a late-blooming genius. Maybe Einstein couldn’t tie his shoes either. Maybe Beethoven couldn’t remember to keep his pants zipped up. Jem was staring at the Magic Building Sections as if he’d had an epiphany.

I suddenly had a vision of the genius that lurked beneath Jem’s vague but winsomely dimpled expression. Banked fires of scientific inventiveness or artistic grandeur were just waiting for th eright moment to burst forth.

The words Pulitzer and Nobel blinked like neon lights in my brain. He definitely took after my side of the family. I watched with great anticipation as he stood over Max and opened his mouth to speak.

“Gimme a long stick, Max, or I’ll bash you. I wanna make a hammer.”

Then again, giftedness isn’t everything. There’s always a need for brute force and Jem seemed to have a corner on that market.

Makes a grandmother proud!

~ ~ ~

Now for the Giveaway!

To enter to win an iPad Mini or one of 60 eBooks, fill out the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveawayYou aren’t finished!

Before you leave, enter here to win a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card!

$25 Amazon Gift Card

All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me you’re having fun!

Miss Darcy is always fair minded and she will have random.org choose the winner of the gift card.

Could it be you?

In addition to the iPad Mini and the eBooks, all the other authors are giving away prizes today. To enter their giveaways, follow the links below to enter to win:

Steena Holmes bestselling author of Finding Emma is giving away a chocolate gift basket to someone who leaves a comment about their fairy godmother

* * *

Rachel Thompson, bestselling author of Broken Pieces is giving away an Amazon Gift Card to a lucky commenter about “sisters”

* * *

Christine Nolfi, award winning author of Treasure Me is giving away a gift basket of Charleston treats as her giveaway

* * *

Patricia Sands, bestselling author of the hot new release, The Promise of Provence is giving away a beautiful book on the Most Beautiful Country Towns of Provence from Amazon to a lucky commenter.

Season Three of Downton Abbey introduced a character from America. Shirley MacLaine spiced up the show playing the American mother of Cora, Countess of Grantham. One of the reasons it worked so well was that viewers could see a striking contrast between the dueling dowagers, one from America and one from England.

Most of the regencies are set in England so it makes for a very unique story to have one set in America. THE DIVIDED HEARTS is set in Newport, Rhode Island just prior to the War of 1812. It’s a time of rising passions as allegiances between England and America are tested. Now add a romance between an English gentlewoman and an American man. Let the sparks fly!

If you love Downton Abbey and Jane Austen you’ll love The Divided Hearts! This is the 7th book in the Sweet Deception Regency series. At the death of her mother Lady Judith Hallowell decides to visit her father in America. She agrees to find out if her Godmother’s grandson is still loyal to England.

Despite her father’s high praise of the man, she is stunned when Nathanael appears as a pompous dandy with powdered hair and peacock clothing. As she falls in love with a new country, she can’t understand how she can have feelings for someone so shallow and yearns to find someone like the mysterious Palatine who is considered a hero in the fledgling colonies on the brink of war? Or does she?

You’ve read The American Bride and loved it but just imagine what would happen if the romance took place in America, not England! It could never happen, you say? Miss Darcy is here to tell you that it could!

This is the publishing day for THE DIVIDED HEARTS!!

Lady Judith Hallowell leaves the drawing rooms of London to visit her father in America. Used to the sophisticated entertainments in England will the society in this raw new country be to her taste?Before she sails to America she agrees to find out if her Godmother’s grandson is still loyal to England. Despite her father’s high praise of the man, she is stunned when Nathanael appears as a pompous dandy with powdered hair and peacock clothing. As she falls in love with a new country, she can’t understand how she can have feelings for someone so shallow and yearns to find someone like the mysterious Palatine who is considered a hero in the fledgling colonies on the brink of war? How could her heart be so divided?

Miss Darcy is planning to celebrate the new book this week with the special price of $2.99 for two days. Don’t miss your chance to get your copy HERE.

Miss Darcy is very excited that The American Bride has received such wonderful reviews. What an intriguing tale. Married by proxy! Will Caroline Leland be bedded by a total stranger when she arrives in England in this delightful romantic comedy? Can a feisty American heiress find love and happiness married to an English lord she has never seen?

Cara disguises herself as a dowdy governess to observe her new husband. He’s arrogant and annoying but so very handsome and alluring. She’s courting danger and seduction with this disguise. To avoid discovery all she need do is remain quietly in the background. What an impossible task for this independent rebel!

Now just imagine if the situation were reversed! An English woman traveling to America in a time of danger and the rumblings of war. How would she react coming from the drawing rooms of London to this new raw country? Miss Darcy is very excited to tell you that a new book will be available in April.

The title is The Divided Hearts, a rousing tale of romance in America. A very unique kind of Regency. Miss Darcy just got the new cover from her publisher and she’s over the moon. In a few days I’ll be able to give you an excerpt of this delightful tale of love and intrigue.

Miss Darcy invites her readers to check out: Booklover’s Bench. Some of my fellow authors and I have set up a website called Booklovers Bench. The purpose of our site is to bring contests to readers. Last month we gave away a Nook Simple Touch. This month, we’re giving away a gift certificate worth $50.00 at either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. New contests every month, so bookmark the site.

Our March contest kicks off on March 4th and runs through the 17th.

The authors of Booklover’s Bench are pleased to offer the following prizes for our March contest.

One lucky winner will receive his or her choice of a $50 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

And this time, we’re going to have a runner-up who will win FIVE e-books: One from each of our authors. The winner will be able to choose from any digital format the author provides. To enter the contest click here.

Note: terms and conditions for Amazon gift card can be found here:http://www.amazon.com/gc-legal

As stated in the terms and conditions, by entering this contest, you agree to be added to the authors’ newsletter mailing lists. Of course, you can opt out after receiving any newsletter.

Miss Darcy is very excited that The American Bride has received such wonderful reviews. What an intriguing tale. Married by proxy! Will Caroline Leland be bedded by a total stranger when she arrives in England in this delightful romantic comedy? Can a feisty American heiress find love and happiness married to an English lord she has never seen?

Cara disguises herself as a dowdy governess to observe her new husband. He’s arrogant and annoying but so very handsome and alluring. She’s courting danger and seduction with this disguise. To avoid discovery all she need do is remain quietly in the background. What an impossible task for this independent rebel!

Now just imagine if the situation were reversed! An English woman traveling to America in a time of danger and the rumblings of war. How would she react coming from the drawing rooms of London to this new raw country? In the next few days Miss Darcy will give you a sneak peek at the new book coming in April. The title is The Divided Hearts, a rousing tale of romance in America. A very unique kind of Regency.

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"This is Regency romance at its best. Karla Darcy’s books are simply magical. Her stories have everything I look for in this wonderful genre: wit, humor, intrigue, and tenderness. You’re in for a treat."